Improvement in sofa-tables



PATENT OFFICE.l

CORNELIUS BRIGGS, OF ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENTIN SOFA-TABLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 5,390, dated December 11, 1847.

Ifo all whom. t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS BRIces, of Roxbury, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sofas, by which I produce an article of furniture which I denominate a sofa-table, and which is susceptible of such changes as tobe used in either capacity-that is, as a sofa or a table; and I do hereby declare that the followingr description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, hereinafter referred to, forms a full and exact speciiication of the same, wherein I have set forth the nature and principles of my said improvements, together with such parts as I claim and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent.

The igures of the accompanying plate of drawings represent my new article of furniture.

Figure l is a front elevation of itwhen used as a sofa. Fig. 2 is acentral transverse vertical section of the same; and Fig. 3 is a detail transverse sectional View representing the article when used for a table, dre.

a a a a in the several figures represent the arm-supporters or side frames of the articles, which may be formed as shown in the drawings or in any other way to suit the taste vof the purchaser, the tops of the saine being l always made flat. Said frames are connected and held together by means of the central 'j longitudinalbeam orbrace b, shaped, as shown in section in Figs. a and 3, somewhat like an inverted' V,

The seat c c c d CZ CZ is divided longitudinally into two parts at the center, as shown in Fig. 2, and each part is constructed with legs and frame-work, as shown in the several figures, and the inner rail of each part is grooved out, so as to tit oppositely against the curved sides of the beam b, as shown in Fig. 2. The front part c c c is provided with a sliding bolt at e e `at each end, which secures it to the side frames a a d a. When the article is used as a sofa, the rear part d d d is kept in place by the back f f f f when in a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2.

The back ffff, in-

A stead of extending merely to the top of the seat, as usual, is just twice that width and is formed entirely of wood, the back being an entirely plain surface, and one-half of the front or inside being stuffed to serve as a back to the sofa, while there are also on said inside two transverse cleatsy g g g g, fitting just inside of the arm-supporters a a a a and p one longitudinal cleat h, which terminates the stufiing for the back.

On the exterior of each of the cleats g g is formed in any suitable lnannera long groove i t', (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3,) and in each of these grooves a round stud or pin k fits, which stud or pin projects from a plate l, secured to the inside of each arm-supporter ct Ct. By this arrangement it will be seen that by lifting the back ffff a little distance the stud or pin Je, Working in said groove i t', will permit the back to be turned over into the position denoted in Fig. 3, and so that its under or inner side will rest on the arm-supporters a a a d and yform atable. Theseats'c c c d dd may then be drawn out` foroccupancy on each side of the table so formed.

In order to hold the parts together more firmly when used for a sofa, I use a hooked lever m m, which turns on a fulcrum n on the brace b, and the hooked end of which engages witha notch in the cleat 0 on the inside of the backffff. A

An article of furniture such asIhave above described and so easily susceptible of the metalnorphoses I have specified is believed to be peculiarly desirable for ships, steamboats, hotels, and other places where it is desirable to economize room and yet have such conveniences.

Having thus described my improvements` I shall state my clairn as follows:

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to have secured to me by `Letters Patent, is-

The new article of furniture hereinabove described,l and denominated a sofa-table, and which is formed by making a sofa With a turning back and a seat susceptible of division, all substantially as hereinabove set forth.

In testimony that the foregoing is a true description of my said invention I have hereto set my signature this 12th day of April, in the year 1847.

CORNELIUS BRIGGS.

Vitnesses:

EZRA LINCOLN, Jr., LUTHER BRIGGS, Jr. 

